An Air Force officer of an F-15E Strike Eagle, shot down on Friday by Iran, spent a day in hostile territory with little more than a pistol for protection. He was rescued by U.S. Special Operations whose highest priority for 48 hours had been to find and rescue him.
After ejecting from the F-15E, the officer hid in a mountain crevice, his location initially unknown to either Americans trying to rescue him, or Iranians trying to capture him. The airman evaded Iranian forces for more than 24 hours, at one point hiking up a 7,000-foot ridgeline, a senior U.S. military official said. U.S. attack aircraft dropped bombs and opened fire on Iranian convoys to keep them away from the area where the airman was hiding. The airman was equipped with a beacon and a secure communication device for coordinating with forces mounting the rescue. But the airman restricted the use of his beacon because Iranian forces could have detected its signal as well.
The airman shot down in Iran used the mandatory Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to hide in a mountain crevice, evade capture for over 24 hours, and navigate to safety using a specialized radio beacon while injured. He was trained to utilize survival vests, maintain camouflage, and operate in hostile territory. This is fascinating, as it was clearly vital for the possibility of survival.
Our military has critical key aspects of training and survival:
- SERE Training: A 19-day course (often with refresher training) prepares personnel for the physical and psychological stresses of being stranded behind enemy lines.
- Evasion and Concealment: The airman was trained to hide in rugged, high-altitude terrain, move at night, and use terrain/foliage for camouflage to avoid detection by hostile forces.
- Signaling and Communication: He used a radio/GPS-coded beacon to intermittently signal his location to U.S. forces, limiting use to avoid detection.
- Combat Gear: The airman was equipped with a survival vest containing, at minimum, a handgun, water, first-aid materials, and a beacon.
- Rescue Coordination: U.S. officials monitored the location 24/7 and executed a rescue, which involved special operations forces.
The airman was able to survive in the mountainous environment of Iran while wounded, eventually being rescued by U.S. forces because he had training, he took full advantage of it and knew what to do, and he had people who cared about him. He knew he was in a war, and he was prepared for every possible situation.
We as believers are in a continual war spiritually. If we do not prepare ourselves, our survival is in real danger spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and even relationally. Fighting battles in "foreign territory” –workplaces, school, our culture, difficult family situations – requires proactive spiritual training centered on truth and prayer. We train by putting on the full armor of God daily, which allows us to stand firm on Christ’s victory. We fight by renewing our minds with the Word and cultivating a mindset that sees challenges through the eyes of faith, not fear.
Ephesians 6:11-18 tells us about training and putting on that whole armor of God to equip us to stand strong. Here are some spiritual training steps to get you strong for the battle:
Prioritize God's Word. Every day, meditate, speak, and reflect on Scripture to align your mind with the truth.
Submit to God and resist the devil. Every area of your life must be submitted to God. Every suggestion and influence from the devil must be resisted.
Know your identity. You are not alone. You are a child of the King. Live from your position of victory as a child of God, instead of feeling that you are fighting to BE His child.
Boldly declare God’s truth. When you are afraid, declare to yourself, God, and the devil that you know who you are, who HE is, and what He has promised. Cover yourself with truth.
If God is for you, and you are trained and ready, who can ever stand against you?